O’Brien has won four of the last six runnings of the Dee Stakes, but he faces significant opposition at Chester
Aidan O’Brien and his extensive collection of Derby candidates have been something of a standing turn at the Chester May meeting in recent seasons, but this year is a little different as Ballydoyle’s best hope for another win at Epsom on the first weekend in June already has his form in the book.
Saxon Warrior, the 2,000 Guineas winner, will not be shifted from the top of the ante-post market and so O’Brien’s runners at Chester this week are realistically on trial to be second-strings at best at Epsom next month. That does not, of course, rule them out entirely, as Wings Of Eagles showed last year when he took the Classic at 40-1, but it does slightly lessen enthusiasm for a colt like Rostropovich, who is Ryan Moore’s pick from two O’Brien-trained runners in the Dee Stakes.
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Worcester
1.40 Brinestine 2.10 Soulsaver 2.45 Exmoor Mist 3.20 Rock Of Leon
3.55 Peggies Venture 4.25 Blackdown Hills 4.55 Notnow Seamus
5.25 Catchin Time
Chester
1.50 Amomentofmadness (nb) 2.25 Rastrelli 3.00 Vale Of Kent (nap) 3.35 Idaho 4.05 Ynys Mon 4.35 Volevo Lui 5.05 Indian Chief
Huntingdon
2.00 Cosmic King 2.35 Haul Away 3.10 Go West Young Man 3.45 Mab Dab 4.15 Shining Romeo 4.45 Capitoul 5.15 Thomas Darby
Wincanton
5.20 Ringa Ding Ding 5.50 Secret Door 6.20 Tikkinthebox 6.50 Orbasa
7.20 Schnabel 7.50 King Vince 8.20 Let's Be Happy
Chelmsford
6.10 Glendevon 6.40 Qaffaal 7.10 No More Thrills 7.40 Poet's Prince
8.10 Weekender 8.40 Elgin 9.10 Zamjar